Get Up and At It

OK you have been retired for a year now! Staying home, sleeping in doing nothing. In one case I heard of the husband retired and did nothing at all for one year. Almost created a divorce come winter when he decided that he had retired too from shoveling snow. It sure didn’t make for a nice environment at his house as the wife wasn’t going to shovel as she still worked, made the meals, kept things clean and tidy. You get the picture.

I have heard of too many people taking it ‘easy ‘ the first year. After a year it is time to start living again. Too many retirees die in that first year. (Maybe slowing down is a shock to their body)

When I retired (it was forced due to health) I did very little in the first year. I found it a positive luxury to sleep in past eight oclock considering I had been to work by eight for over fifty years. Well after that year off, I now am looking for pursuits to make myself feel like I am contributing to society. Starting this blog is one way. It makes me sit at the computer, think and write. Yeah I know I write on the computer but seriously folks, Facebook entries don’t count. They can be educational thou and a good way to connect with friends and share ideas so don’t count out Facebook just don’t count it as a serious writing.

Once you start to take back your life don’t get tied up with too many goals and pursuits. If you do, suddenly you wake one day and find you don’t have time for anything including the joy of just chilling out. Always leave time for that. I love it when I have a whole day free and can be by myself and do what I want. Of course I find I have to announce to my friends that this is my day so don’t ask me to go to lunch or shopping.

With the pursuits that you choose, try to have a good mix. Some mindless entertainment or sport, some charity work, some educational , a craft, just be sure to pick a good mix. Look around for activities you couldn’t do when you worked. I had a love for rug hooking and most of the groups met during the day. I now go to at least one group and the luxury of it is the many groups that I have an option to go to.

I have just signed up for a course on Spying 101 and an other one on Economics. Odd mixture but I have the time for them and a huge curiosity to fill.

The more you put yourself out there and talk to other seniors you will find wonderful activities to partake in. Just leave your self open to NEW.

In a later blog I will give you some ideas on reasonably priced prusuits. You don’t need to spend hundreds or thousands. You want the most for your buck. A lot of seniors have limited income so lets look at where to put your entertainment dollars . Stay tuned.

Senior in the kitchen.

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One thought on “Get Up and At It”

at first i thought i was going to be nagged on for the do nothing days but it’s nice to know we deserve and need these. and as for those active days, days where we can choose what to do; it ads structure and purpose so i’m like you and am intrigued at what you write next! i’d be too paranoid to take spying 101 though :)P